Time-travel Through pictures
with
Time Trap
by
Author Richard Smith

Please follow along on this exciting journey as we Time-Travel with Time Trap!

About The Book

TODD'S IN A STREET GANG, JAMIE WANTS TO BE. TO GET HIS FRIEND'S BACKING AND JOIN THE RIVERSIDE POSSE, HE TAKES HIM TO A SECRET LABORATORY. BUT DISASTER IS ABOUT TO STRIKE...

Who was the mysterious Hector Lightfoot? What was he up to when he disappeared, and who were the two ghosts once seen in his house? School friends Jamie and Todd are destined to find out when they go to London to spend a weekend with Jamie's Uncle Simon, who now lives in that very house. Soon after they arrive, Jamie has a frightening encounter with the two ghosts.

Hector, a veteran from the First Afghan War, joined a covert

expedition to China, and afterwards worked on a secret Government project in an underground lab at theBritish Museum. He vanished suddenly, and was never heard from again.

Simon takes the boys to the lab, where they find a strange contraption – which, unknown to any of them, is a time-travel device. When the building is struck by lightning, the device is energized, and sends the boys back in time to the year 1862. There, surrounded by danger and exposed to disease, they are sucked into a life of crime in order to survive.

Only if they can find Hector will they have any chance of getting home again. But why has he gone into hiding? Who is the man after him and what does he want?

As the boys struggle to escape back to their own time, Jamie becomes convinced that the two ghosts he saw earlier are following them…

"Time-Travel Thursday With Time Trap"

~Issue Two of Six~

Farringdon Road On The Time Trap Trail

Sketch taken from Time Trap

Turn right and stop at the first set of traffic lights. From where you stand, look to the right, and there was the construction site of the Metropolitan Railway. Jamie and Todd climbed down the ladder escaping Billy and his gang, and sprinted into the tunnel. They emerged further up Farringdon Road, only to fall into the hands of Billy and the others.

Extract from the Trail

Knowing its history and development, Farringdon is one of my favorite places in London. Back in the 1860's, the area was awash with Victorian rebuild and innovation. Above, is a sketch of the Metropolitan Line under construction. Opened in !863, with gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives, it was the world's first underground railway.The "cut and cover" method was a simple way of construction for shallow tunnels, where a trench was excavated and roofed over with an overhead support system strong enough to carry the load of what was to be built above the tunnel. Many houses and buildings were demolished during the works, from Farringdon to Paddington.Todd read aloud from a large billboard: ‘Metropolitan Railway.’‘Haven’t you heard of the new form of transport?’ Mr Wiggles asked. ‘Trains that go under the ground? Sounds daft to me; only the sewers should go underground. Can’t see it catching on.’‘It’s the start of the London Underground,’ said Jamie, softly. ‘The Victorians were so clever.’‘I’d never have guessed it went this far back in time,’ Todd whispered. He asked Mr Wiggles if they could take a closer look.‘Oi!’ a juvenile voice shouted.Jamie’s stomach sank; the gang they had encountered earlier were spread out along the road behind them.

Time Trap

Farringdon Road today, where the Metropolitan Line runs beneath.

REMEMBER, ONCE YOU COMPLETE THE TRAIL AND EMAIL RICHARD THE CORRECT ANSWERS, HE WILL DOWNLOAD TO YOU THE PERSONALIZED CERTIFICATE!

** Reader Reviews**

"Richard Smith has in Time Trap, a very polished debut novel. The research undertaken is evident throughout; the fog-laden city of London, the characters found therein and the localised speech patterns used. Although targeted for the 10-12 year old range...the book does show appeal for older readers."

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"Time Trap is one of those books that keeps you thinking all the way through. It has an intriguing plot which stretches over two time frames and author Richard Smith does an excellent job of capturing the atmosphere of both eras."

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OK, I rarely use the WOW word but Time Trap is one of those rare occasions and it gets it for the intrigue factor. The book is very well written and a delightful read, but the plot and the inclusion of London landmarks linked to a code make it one of the most engaging books I have read this year. Children will absolutely love it.

"I thought Time Trap was an absolutely riproaring adventure, full of fun and danger. The plot rushes along and poor Jamie and Todd barely get their breath back from one crisis before they are plunged headlong into another."

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"Victorian London is beautifully evoked. It rises from the pages in all its danger, smoke and disease, but also in its energy and sense of progress. There is a great deal of detail, all accurately researched and readers will learn a lot about this period."

Author discusses time-travelling tale

THE ILFORD RECORDER

By

Shaun Guntrip

An author had his own time travelling experience as he returned to his hometown to tell children about his new book.

Richard Smith, a former pupil at Uphall Primary School in Uphall Road, Ilford, visited Highlands Primary, Highlands Gardens, Ilford, to sign books for the children.

The Year 5 pupils had been reading his book, Time Trap, as part of a school project and Liz Payne from the school, said: “The children really enjoyed it.”

“All the books were sold; even some year four and six pupils bought it.”

One child in particular, Sean Faria, managed to finish the book in just three days.

Richard gave Sean the thumbs-up in an email. He said: “Finishing the book in three days is impressive.”

The story involves two boys who get transported back to London in 1862 and features a hidden code to crack that leads you on a trail through the capital’s streets.